World Trade Center Survivor Patrick Anderson Joined by Lansing Mayor Andy Schor in Placing Wreath at Wentworth Park Memorial

EAST LANSING, Mich. — August 30, 2021

Patrick L. Anderson, WTC survivor and founder of the Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund, was joined by uniformed police officers and Lansing Mayor Andy Schor yesterday in placing a memorial wreath at Wentworth Park’s steel beam monument. The occasion was, as always, one of solemnity and reflection for Mr. Anderson.

Looking back on that day with the perspective of these elapsed 20 years, memories of that day have softened for many who are old enough to have watched it unfold. The edges, however, remain as sharp and jarring as ever for survivors and for those who lost loved ones to the flames and rubble. Michigan Remembers 9-11 maintains a list and brief bios of those lost from our state.

Members of the media and the public who would like to join Mr. Anderson in remembering the events of that day and reflecting upon our country’s resilience in the aftermath are invited to attend a special ceremony on Saturday, September 11, 2021. The noon event will be held at the Wayne County First Responders Memorial on Edward N. Hines Drive (Hines Park) in Plymouth Township.

About the Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund

The Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund was founded in 2006 by Patrick Anderson, who was inside the World Trade Center when the first plane hit. Mr. Anderson is principal and CEO of East Lansing-based Anderson Economic Group, LLC. He founded the Fund to ensure that future generations remember September 11, 2001 as a day of loss and tragedy, but also one of heroism and sacrifice. We solemnly remember those who lost their lives on 9/11/01, and celebrate the brave men and women across Michigan who protect and serve America’s communities.

Contact: Lisa Wootton Booth, 517.333.6984

September 11, 2020

Michigan Remembers 9/11 Fund identifies 23 additional victims

Most Americans remember Todd Beamer, the 9/11 hero who said “Let’s roll,” before fighting back terrorists aboard United Flight 93, bound for an attack on Washington, D.C. In the struggle, the flight crashed over a Pennsylvania field.

Few Michiganders are aware Beamer was a Flint native. The Michigan Remembers 9/11 Fund has now identified 42 people of Michigan who perished in the 9/11 attacks, including people who were born, grew up in, or had other ties to the state.

Twenty-three of the 42 victims, more than half, were identified and added to the list through extensive research completed in 2020.  Profiles on the honored dead are at http://www.michiganremembers.com.

“It has been our mission to remember every person from Michigan who lost their lives on September 11, 2001,” said Patrick L. Anderson, one of the founders of the Michigan Remembers 9/11 Fund and a survivor of the New City attacks.

Anderson is best known as the principal and CEO of the Anderson Economic Group in East Lansing, but he was also staying in the World Trade Center Marriott for a conference, narrowly escaping with just one shoe on his foot.

“This year, we are recognizing 23 more souls from our state who perished on that terrible day, bringing the number of Michigan victims to 42,” Anderson said. “As we commemorate the 19th anniversary, we pray for every one of them, and invite others to read their stories and reflect on the great loss we endured that day.”

Mr. Anderson and his AEG Group co-worker, Ilhan Geckil, escaped from the World Trade Center during the 2001 attacks. They and Scott Watkins and Megan Boone, also both former co-workers, serve as trustees of the fund. His story was featured on the national PBS series “We’ll Meet Again’’ in 2018.

Preparing for next year’s 20th anniversary, the Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund has worked since its founding in 2007 to remember each victim from Michigan so they can learn or remember how 9/11 impacted the state and nation. 

The Fund is a 501c3 charity and its efforts are entirely supported by private donations. The Fund has previously sponsored “Run to Remember” events, High School essay contests, and sponsored participation by Michigan first responders to the World Trade Center for 9/11 events.

Joyce Ng, President of the September 11 Survivors Foundation, is a survivor and author of “Hotel 9/11,” the only history book dedicated to the Three World Trade Center, the building, and its survivors. She and Anderson have worked together since both miraculously escaped in 2001. 

“I commend Patrick Anderson and Michigan Remembers for their continued efforts to remember the lives lost on 9/11, Ng said. “Our world was forever changed by the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001.  Michigan Remembers continues to honor this significant event by augmenting the names of those killed from Michigan.  We will always remember this day.” 

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9-11 Remembrance Ceremony and 5k run/walk to Honor Local First Responder

5k run/walk raising funds to send Michigan first responder
to NYC for National 5k Event

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund is hosting its seventh annual Run to Remember 5k run/walk on September 9^th in Lansing’s Old Town. The event will include a brief remembrance ceremony with a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. to mark the time that the first plane struck the Twin Towers. The 5k run/walk will start at 9:11 a.m.

Proceeds from the event will be used to support the Fund’s programming. This includes recognizing area first responders for their dedication to our state by sending them to New York City to represent Michigan in the National Tunnel to Towers 5k Run & Walk on September 24^th. Lansing Township Police Department’s Brett Ramsden was selected by the Fund’s nomination committee based on his daily service to the people of Michigan and their communities. Ramsden, of Ovid, has been a police officer with the department for almost ten years and a medical examiner investigator for six. Brett also serves as a Firefighter at the Mason Fire Department and background investigator at Ingham County 9-1-1. Michigan Representative Tom Cochran will be at the Lansing 5k to introduce and recognize Ramsden.

“We are excited and proud to be sending Brett to New York to represent Michigan,” said Lauren Branneman, Executive Director of the Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund. “We encourage everyone to join us in Lansing’s Old Town on September 9^th to send him off with our support.”

As part of its mission to ensure that future generations remember September 11, 2001 as a day of loss and tragedy, and also as a day of heroism and sacrifice, the Fund hosts an annual scholarship program. The scholarship requires high school juniors and seniors to research, write, and submit an essay on the September 11, 2001 events, its causes, aftermaths, and resulting wars and world events.

The public is invited to attend the family (and pet) friendly remembrance ceremony and 5k run/walk. Registration is available at www.runsignup.com/runtoremember.

About the Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund

The Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund was founded in 2006 by Patrick Anderson, who was in the World Trade Center when the first plane hit. Anderson, who escaped from the tower, is Principal & CEO of East Lansing-based Anderson Economic Group, LLC. The fund’s mission is to ensure that future generations remember Sept. 11, 2001 as a day of loss and tragedy, and also a day of heroism and sacrifice. We do so by remembering those who lost their lives on 9/11/01, and by celebrating the brave men and women across Michigan who protect and serve our communities on a daily basis.

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East Lansing firefighter running in NYC to honor 9/11 first-responders

RJ Wolcott, Lansing State Journal 1:01 p.m. EDT September 9, 2015

EAST LANSING – The Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund has honored three winners of its 2014 scholarship essay contest for Michigan high school juniors and seniors.

The contest was established to encourage high school students to research and express their reflections on how the impacts of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks affected them, their family members or friends, their communities, or the nation as a whole.

Julia Muir, a senior from Williamston High School, won the first place scholarship of $500 for her essay “Remembering America’s Heroes.”

Her essay focused on the courage demonstrated by those heroes who made a difference during the tragic events of 9/11/01. She plans to attend Grand Valley State University in the fall to pursue a bachelor of science in nursing.

Emily Coscarelli, also a senior from Williamston High School, was awarded the second place scholarship for her essay “A Day in Their Shoes.”

She plans to attend Michigan State University in the fall, but is currently undecided on a course of study.

Nicholas Mangopoulos of Okemos won the honorable mention award for his essay “We Were Invincible.” He is enrolled in the Early College Program at Lansing Community College and plans to start attending full time in the spring to study computer engineering.

“We were happy to be able to honor the scholarship winners for their strong writing skills and their ability to convey a deep understanding of the 9-11 tragedies despite their young ages at the time the attacks occurred,” said Megan Henriksen, Executive Director of the Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund.

The Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2006 by World Trade Center attack survivor Patrick Anderson.

The Fund memorializes those with ties to Michigan whose lives were lost on September 11, 2001, and honors those who risk their lives on a daily basis to protect their communities.

Donations from the public can be sent to Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund, 1555 Watertower Place, Suite 100, East Lansing, MI 48823.

 

The full story from the Lansing State Journal can be found here:  Williamston Students Honored for 9-11 Remembrance Essays

 

 

 

 

 

Two local firefighters will re-trace the route a New York City firefighter took on 9/11 as he ran from a traffic-clogged tunnel to the World Trade Center.

Tim Grant of the Williamston Fire Department and Tiffany Dickerson of the Lansing Fire Department were nominated to take part in Sunday’s Tunnel to Towers 5K in New York City. More than 25,000 people are expected to participate.

The event honors the memory of firefighter Stephen Siller, who was on his way home the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 when word came of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

With his vehicle stuck in traffic, Siller ran the three miles from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center with 60 pounds of equipment strapped to his back. Siller was one of nearly 400 emergency services personnel to die that day.

“To be making the same run he ran that morning, it gives you chills,” Grant said. “At the end of this race, I get to go home. He didn’t get to go home, and I’ll be thinking about that.”

Many firefighters will run in their “turnout gear,” Grant said.

Dickerson, a seven-year veteran of the department, said being surrounded by people who were directly affected that day will have an impact on her.

“I think it will make me realize how special it is to go home every day,” she said. “You don’t take that for granted.”

The New York event is one of nine across the country, in Florida, Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Proceeds support numerous initiatives, including making homes wheelchair-accessible for injured first responders and service members.

Grant and Dickerson were chosen by the Michigan Remembers Foundation, which for the last four years has sponsored the “Run to Remember” each Sept. 11 in Lansing.

Grant said he was honored to get the call offering him a spot.

“They say when you come out of the tunnel, the first thing you lay your eyes on is the Freedom Tower, and I’m really looking forward to seeing that,” he said. “It’s a remembrance thing, but it’s also a big celebration.”

Staff writer Kevin Grasha contributed to this report.

To help, look for the Donate link at www.tunnel2towers.org. To donate to the local Michigan Remembers Foundation, go to https://runsignup.com/runtoremember

 

The full story from the Lansing State Journal can be found here:  Local Firefighters to Run in NYC 5k

 

 

 

State Representative (and former Lansing Fire Chief) Tom Cochran discusses his work with the Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund in an editorial for OkemosToday.com.

Read the full editorial here.

 

The Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund will be hosting its Run to Remember 5K run/walk on September 6^th to remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, including 19 with Michigan connections, and to honor and celebrate the brave men and women across Michigan who protect and serve our communities and nation on a daily basis. Funds raised by this race support our programming, which includes sending two first responders to represent Michigan at the Stephen Siller National Tunnel to Towers Run in New York City.

If you are interested in the opportunity to be selected as a representative from Michigan, please complete the nomination form by August 11, 2014. You must be an active first responder (police, fire, or ems) in the state of Michigan or currently enlisted in the U.S. Military/Michigan National Guard/Reserves to be eligible. You must also be available for travel the dates of September 27, 2014 to September 29, 2014.

The Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund board members, executive director, and other members of the nomination committee will carefully evaluate all submissions. They will select the two nominees who are felt to best embody the spirit of selflessness, community service, and honor as those who answered the call on 9/11/01. Only those who are selected as finalists will be contacted.

The two selected nominees will be honored during our Run to Remember event with an all-expense paid weekend to NYC to compete in the national race to be held in late September. The trip includes airfare, hotel, race registration, and other selected travel arrangements.

Questions about the Fund or this application can be directed to Megan Henriksen at michiganremembers@gmail.com or (517) 333-6984.

Please click this link to complete the nomination form: 2014 nomination form.

The Fund was recognized in Lansing State Journal’s nonprofit spotlight for June 8, 2014. Please see the link below for the full article.

LSJ Nonprofit Spotlight: Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund

 

Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund Announces Winners of Annual Scholarship Essay Contest

Three area high school students recognized for their reflections on 9-11.

 

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund is pleased to announce the winners of its 2013 scholarship essay contest for Michigan high school juniors and seniors. This contest encourages high school students to research and express how the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks affected them, their family members or friends, their communities, or the nation as a whole.

Cameron Stewart, a senior from Williamston High School, has won the first place scholarship of $500 for his essay “Through the Eyes of a Child.” His essay discussed the attacks from the view point of a 5-year old and how the aftermath affected him personally. Cameron will be attending Michigan State University in the fall to begin his pre-med studies.

Paige Kelley, a junior from Williamston High School, was awarded the second place scholarship for her essay “An Attack Here and a War There.” She has a strong interest in the medical field and plans to attend college after she graduates in 2015.

Nathalie Yanes won the honorable mention award for her essay “Michigan Will Remember.” She is a senior at Wayland High School and plans to study biology and mathematics at Calvin College in the fall. Nathalie also would like to attend medical school after college.

“We are happy to be able to encourage strong writing skills, while keeping the memory of this tragedy current to today’s younger generation,” said Megan Henriksen, Executive Director of the Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund. Despite their young ages at the time the attacks occurred, Stewart, Kelley, and Yanes each conveyed deep and emotional understandings of the 9-11 attacks.

The Michigan Remembers 9-11 Fund offers the annual essay contest to Michigan high school juniors and seniors. The contest for 2014 is planned for the fall of next year, with details to be available on the Michigan Remembers 9-11 website. Questions about the contest can be directed to Megan Henriksen at michiganremembers@gmail.com or (517) 333-6984.